Thursday, 4 May 2017

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carré (My Goodread Reviews)

Our burnt out operative is called Alec Lemus and an unglamorous alcove of British intelligence wants him for a mission. In order to be convincing, he must sink low down in British society. A violent drunk sacked from employment and sent to the benefits office in search of a new job. This scruff is useless and on the scrap heap. This is just prep work. He drinks and attacks a store owner. It's still prep work. He befriends a librarian who is an idealistic young girl. It's just prep work. He is sent to prison for assault. It's all prep work.

Then from the shadows of the underworld, he hopes to lure communist field agents who come posing as social workers who care. Then the mission can really begin.

Set in 1964 during Britain's struggle with the communist bloc nations. This is not James Bond stuff. It's low down, seedy and dirty. Our hero is a burnt out field agent and his betters seem to operate out of seedy little office apartments in Oxford Circus. He knows the game and he thinks he's seen it all. Or has he?